Swingable hanger sets



Jan. 21, 1964 s. FRANKLIN SWINGABLE HANGER SETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1961 INVENTOR. FRANK LIN BY 2 AW'JK/VA'J SHERMAN Jan. 21, 1964 s. FRANKLIN SWINGABLE HANGER SETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1961 INVENTOR. SH EPMAN FRAN KLI N 3,118,544 SWHQGABLE HANGER SETS Sherman Franklin, 71 Oakland Ave, Rockaway, NJ. Filed Nov. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 151,000 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-102) This invention relates generally to clothes closets and more particularly to a clothes rack readily mountable in a clothes closet.

Heretofore clothes have been supported in closets by means of bars, poles and tracks which clog up the center and front of the closet blocking access to far reaches of the closet and preventing entrance into the closet. Furthermore, such devices present an unsightly appearance.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a clothes rack that is capable of being mounted on the rear wall of the closet leaving the front of the closet available and easy to enter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes rack with removable swingable clothes hangers for ready convenience and accessibility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes rack with means for readily, swingably and interchangeably supporting a variety of clothes hangers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clothes rack with swingable hangers adapted to support clothes in either a draped condition thereover or in a suspended condition therebelow.

A still further object is to provide a clothes rack having swingable clothes hangers for supporting clothes in a neat and orderly fashion in a closet.

Yet another object is to provide a clothes rack having swingable clothes hangers and mountable on the rear wall of a closet, leaving the center of the closet free and clear for access to the clothes on the rack, and thus conserving closet space.

It is also an object to provide a clothes rack with clothes hangers that expose and keep the clothes indexed at all times, without a chance of the clothes becoming hidden from View.

Other objects are to provide a clothes rack for a closet that is adjustable up and down in the closet, that is simple and rugged in construction and that can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a clothes rack embodying one form of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational View of the clothes rack of FIG. 1 shown mounted on the rear wall of a closet.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing the rack mounted on the wall of a closet.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the bracket and hanger unit of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are side elevational views of modified forms of bracket and hanger units used with the rack.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of another modified form of bracket and hanger unit.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of still another modified form of bracket and hanger unit.

3,1 l8,54 Patented Jan. 21, 1964 FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a clothes rack embodying another modified form of the invention, parts being broken away.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a clothes rack embodying the preferred form of the invention is shown and designated generally at 20. The rack 20 com prises broadly a pair of elongated upright flat metal supporting bars 22, 22 connected by a metal rectangular crossbar 24 adjustable up and down along the bars 22. The crossbar supports a plurality of bracket and hanger units 26.

The supporting bars 22, 22 are formed with holes 28 at both ends for receiving screws 29 for fastening the bars to a supporting surface such as the rear wall 30 of a closet. A series of spaced keyhole slots 32 are formed along the bars 22, 22 and rearwardly of the slots the bars are formed with cut-away spaces 34.

The crossbar 24 is formed with a plurality of spaced socket openings 36 in the top surface thereof, and secured to the rear surface thereof and protruding outwardly of said surface is a pair of headed screws 38, 38, the heads .0, 46 of which are adapted to pass through the enlarged portions of the keyhole slots 32 and slide down behind the smaller portions of the slots to interlock the shanks and heads of the screws with the edges of the slots.

in accordance with the invention, the bracket and hanger units 2t: are removably and swingably mounted on and supported by the crossbar 24. Each unit 26 consists of an elongated round rod 42 bent at right angles at both ends forming books 44 and 46. The rod constitutes the bracket. A combined coat and trousers hanger 48 is fastened by welding or in any other suitable manner to the end of the hook 46. The hanger 48 consists of a round wire of heavy stock shaped to form a substantially triangular body consisting of slanting portions 50, 50 joined by a straight horizontal portion 52 as viewed in FiG. 4. The wire body is covered with a rubber tube 54. The slanting portions 5i 5e are adapted to support a coat or similar garment, and the portion 52 is adapted to support trousers or the like in the usual manner. The hook 44 of the bracket is loosely inserted into a socket opening 36 in the crossbar 24.

In FIG. 6, a modified form of bracket and hanger unit 26' is shown. The unit 26 differs from the unit 26 merely in that the combined coat and trousers hanger 43 has the trousers supporting portion formed into two parts 52', 52' in place of a single portion. A trousers may be supported on each part 52. A rubber knob 56 is slipped over the free end of each part 52.

The modified form of bracket and hanger unit 26" shown in FIG. 7 is the same as the unit 26 except no horizontal trousers supporting portion is included, only the coat supporting slanting portions 50', 56', with a rubber tubular cover 54" on each slanting portion.

Referring now to the modified form of combined bracket and hanger unit 26 shown in PEG. 8, in this form the bracket 42 is similar to bracket 42 of unit 26. The coat and trousers hanger 43 fastened to the bracket 42 however, is formed somewhat like the hanger 26 of FIG. 6 with coat supporting slanting portions 50 St? and trousers supporting horizontal portions 52 52 In addition, however, the trousers supporting horizontal portions continue perpendicularly providing upright posts 58 for supporting and suspending an elongated rectangular wooden bar 60 in a plane parallel to the plane of the bracket 42 On the top surface of the bar 60, an inverted U-shaped wire bracket 62 is mounted. The legs 64, 64 of the bracket are bent radially at one end forming feet 66, 66, the free ends of which are inserted into socket openings in the top surface of the bar. The other 3 upper end of each of the legs of the bracket 62 as viewed in FIG. 8 is turned upon itself forming a U-shaped bracket portion 68. An S-shaped wire bolt 70 is pivotally mounted at one end on the bight portion of the bracket portion 68.

Another Wire bracket 72 similar in construction to the wire bracket 62 is pivotally interlocked to the top turned over portion of the bracket 62 as viewed in FIG. 8. Bracket 72 has an inverted U-shaped body with legs 74 turned over at one end, the top end as viewed in FIG. 8, forming a U-shaped bracket portion 76. The bent over portions of the legs of both bracket portions 7 and 72 are interlocked and the U-shaped portion of bracket 72 is bent laterally to the plane of the legs 74 and disposed between the legs whereby the brackets are pivotally secured together. The other ends of legs 74 of bracket 72 are formed with feet 78 that are fastened to and support a wooden bar 80 similar in shape and size to the bar 60. By reasons of this construction, the wooden bar 80 is adapted to be swung alongside bar 60 whereupon the wire bolt or hook 70 is adapted to be swung over and in engagement with the bight portion of bracket portion 76 thereby clamping the bars 60 and 80 in intimate relationship with a trousers therebetween and suspended therefrom. The swingable bar 30 may have a felt lining 84 to protect the bars and serve as a grip for the trousers.

Another modified form of bracket and hanger unit 90 is shown in FIG. 10. The unit 90 comprises an elongated round rod 92 bent perpendicularly at one end forming a hook 94 and turned upwardly slightly at the other end 96. A rubber sleeve 98 covers the rod 92. The hook 94 is adapted to be inserted into the crossbar 24 of the rack 20 and garments such as trousers, skirts and the like may be folded and draped over the rod 92.

The modified form of bracket and hanger unit 96 of FIGS. 12 and 13 is similar to the unit 90 of FIG. but the rod 98' is bare without the rubber sleeve and a rubber knob 109 is mounted on the upwardly turned end 102. The other end is hooked in the opposite direction as indicated at 104 similarly to unit 90. The clothes are supported on the rod 98' by means of a pair of hangers 106 slidably mounted on the rod. Each hanger 106 consists of a pair of pivoted jaws 108 spring pressed together for holding a garment and opened by means of handles 110.

Referring now to the modification of the invention shown in FIG. 14, in this form of clothes rack 20*, another crossbar 112 is added to the structure shown in FIG. 1. Crossbar 112 is similar in construction to bar 24 and is similarly mounted on the supporting bars 22 The crossbar 112 is mounted remote from crossbar 24 leaving a space therebetween. Bracket and hanger units similar to the units 26" shown in FIG. 7 are shown pivotally mounted on crossbar 24 Bracket and hanger units similar to the unit 96 with hangers 106 shown in FIG. 12 are shown pivotally mounted on the crossbar 112.

In this form of rack 20, short garments such as shirtwaists, short jackets and the like can be suspended from the top units 26".

It will thus be noted that any of the desired types or forms of bracket and hanger units may be readily and easily supported or arranged upon the crossbars 24, 24

and 112, and owing to the association and construction of the various elements so forming my invention, the multiplicity of bracket and hanger units having garments thereon may be arranged in slight spaced parallel relation with each other and away from the Wall or side of a closet or wardrobe for the prevention of accumulation of extraneous matter upon the garments and minimizing the space for the support of the garments.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A clothes rack comprising a pair of spaced elongated flat supporting bars having holes at the ends for receiving members for fastening the same to a supporting wall, said bars having spaced keyhole slots therealong, a crossbar extending across the supporting bars, said crossbar having spaced socket openings along one long edge thereof, headed screws protruding from one surface of the crossbar removably mounted in the keyhole slots and interlocked with the edges thereof, and bracket and hanger units removably and pivotally mounted on the crossbar, said units each comprising an elongated rod with hooks at both ends, and a hanger fastened to one of said hooks, said hanger having a body consisting of a pair of slanting portions continuing into a pair of portions extending perpendicularly thereto, said perpendicular'portions terminating in portions extending at right angles thereto constituting posts, rubber sleeves on the slanting and perpendicular portions, a narrow bar supported on the ends of the posts, an inverted U-shaped bracket mounted along one of the narrow edges of the narrow bar, another inverted U-shaped bracket pivotally mounted on said first-named bracket, another narrow bar pivotally mounted on the other inverted bracket and adapted to be swung into engagement with the first-named narrow bar, and means for holding the bars in engagement, said holding means including an inverted U-shaped bracket on the pivoted bar and a pivoted hook on the first-named inverted U-shaped bracket adapted to be swung into interlocking engagement with the second-named inverted U- shaped bracket.

References {Iited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,972 Palmenberg Nov. 1,1904 1,232,214 Bye July 3, 1917 1,386,775 Fulford Aug. 9, 1921 2,194,191 Wolf Mar. 19, 1940 2,613,857 Pechtel Oct. 14, 1952 2,639,793 Hellman May 26, 1953 2,643,037 Clover June 23, 1953 2,665,869 Samuels Jan. 12, 1954 2,878,978 Glowka Mar. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,702 Denmark Dec. 24, 1917 121,933 Sweden Apr. 15, 1948 

